On the go and no time to finish that story right now? Your News is the place for you to save content to read later from any device. Register with us and content you save will appear here so you can access them to read later.

Debate is heating up between Pāpāmoa residents keen to have the speed limit reduced on a busy arterial route and others who don't see the point. Supporters of a petition calling for a drop in the Tara Rd speed limit will be heard in Tauranga City Council today where they will explain their concerns for the safety of motorists. Reporter Kiri Gillespie talks to Pāpāmoa residents and Tara Rd users to find out how far-reaching the concern really is.

Popular Pāpāmoa commuter thoroughfare Tara Rd is an accident waiting to happen, say people petitioning to have its speed limit slashed.

But not everyone thinks speeds on the road are a problem, and the impact on journey times has also been raised.

A petition signed by 73 people calling for the speed limit to be lowered from 80km/h will be presented to Tauranga City Council's Projects, Services and Operations Committee today.

The petitioners complained traffic travelled too fast along the 2km stretch, creating an unsafe environment and risk to residents attempting to get in and out of driveways or streets.

Michelle Pratt, director of New Shoots Children's Centre on Twin Oak Drive, said crossing the road was "extremely unsafe".

"You are taking your life into your own hands as you wait to cross the road by vehicle. It is extremely dangerous. If the speed limit is reduced this would make a huge difference and make the road a lot safer."

A report by council traffic and planning specialist Duncan Wilson, which will also be presented today, listed longer travel times as a potential negative impact of a lower limit, but did not detail this further.

Tara Rd's speed limit would be reviewed as part of a wider citywide speed limit review within the next 12 months.

Wilson said there had been four crashes on the road since it was upgraded to four lanes in 2016.

Two involved serious injuries - one when a police vehicle was struck while attempting a U-turn to follow a speeding vehicle, and another where a motorcyclist lost control while weaving between cars to overtake.

Police road policing Sergeant Craig Rawlinson said police did not have an opinion on whether speed limits should be increased or decreased but officers would enforce whatever limit is set.

Te Puke resident Karen Weld said she signed the petition because whenever she drove Tara Rd "it's always a nightmare".

"I find it very hard to get back across the road and cars seem like they're going 100km/h. I end up travelling down to the roundabout and coming back up that way instead."

Pāpāmoa ward representative councillor Leanne Brown said she had received mixed feedback.

"It's a bit of a Catch-22. A lot of people are saying there are dangerous road speeds there but also that's a driver issue, not a road or speed issue.

"Most people travel around about the speed limit which seems to be fine. [The road] is flat, it's wide and well lit. There has been a couple of incidents but half of the people I've heard from say it's down to driver error and common sense to prevail."

Fellow Pāpāmoa councillor Steve Morris said he won't be taking part in any voting about the petition because his street came out on to Tara Rd.

"But I have noticed ... you can have cars coming pretty quickly at you [pulling out on to Tara Rd]."

According to a New Zealand Transport Agency Mega Maps risk assessment data tool, Tara Rd's current speed limit of 80km/h is appropriate. This comes despite most Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty roads not meeting limits deemed as safe for the conditions.